Brace for converting window-curtains into awnings



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H. G. SOHRENKBISEN. BRAOE FOR CONVERTING WINDOW CURTAINS INTO AWNINGS.

No. 554,958. Patented Feb, 18, 18 96.

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(No Model.) v 2 SheetsSheet 2.

H. G. SOHRENKEISEN. I BEACH FOR CONVERTING WINDOW CURTAINS INTO AWNINGS.

No. 554,958. Patented Feb, 18, 1896-.

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HENRY G. SCHRENKEISEN, OF RYE, NEW YORK.

BRACE FOR CONVERTING WINDOW-CURTAINS INTO AWNINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,958, dated February 18, 1896. Application filed November 27,1895. Serial No. 570,318. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY G. SCHRENKEI- SEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rye, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Braces for Converting Window-Curtains into Awnings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide novel, simple, efficient, and economical devices designed to be applied to a window-frame for holding an ordinary window-curtain projected from the window in an inclined position, so that the curtain serves all the purposes of an ordinary awning.-

To accomplish this object my invention consists essentially in a pair of folding and unfolding braces, each composed of two similar sections pivotally connected by a butt-hinge joint and lying in alignment when unfolded or extended, the outer sections of the braces having their outer ends turned laterally toward one another and bifurcated to form forks which receive and hold one end of a curtainstick, and the inner sections having their innor ends provided with eyes to pivot them to the opposite sides of a window-frame, as will be more fully hereinafter described in detail and pointed out in the claims.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of a Window-frame with my improved braces applied thereto and unfolded or extended to receive and hold the ends of the window-curtain stick, the window-curtain being represented by dotted lines to illustrate the manner in which it is held projected from the window in an inclined position. vertical sectional view showing a portion of a window-frame with my invention applied thereto, the curtain being shown in full lines. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing one of the improved-braces in its folded position and illustrating the washer and screw used in connection with the inner end of the inner section of the brace to pivot the same to the windowframe.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe the same in detaihreferring to the drawings, wherein-.

Fig. 2 is a The numeral 1 indicates an ordinary window-curtain which is adapted to roll upon and unroll from a curtain-roller in any ordinary manner. The lower edge of the curtain is provided with the usual curtain-stick 2, and this curtain is adapted to be employed in the same manner as ordinary curtains at the inside of a window.

The present invention is designed to provide new and improved means for converting the curtain, whenever desired, into an awning, and this is accomplished through the medium of the simple and economical braces, which I will now describe in detail.

These braces are each composed of two similar sections 3 and 4, pivotally connected together at their contiguous ends through the medium of a butt-hinge joint 5, the shoulders 6 of which joint are adapted to abut one another when the two sections 3 and 4 are unfolded or extended and lie in alignment. The inner end of each section 3 is provided with an eye 7 for the passage of a wood-screw 8 by which to pivot the section 3 to the usual window-strip 9 arranged at the inside of the sashes. A metallic disk or washer 10 is interposed between the eye 7 and the window-strip 9 for the purpose of affording a metallic bearingfor the brace to securely maintain the same in position and avoid marring or wearing the window-strip. The metallic disk or washer maintains the improved brace at a slight distance from the surface of the window-strip, and consequently the swinging and opening and closing movements of the brace are not likely to damage the window-strip. The outer extremity of each section 4 is turned laterally and bifurcated to form two arms or members 11 and 12, which constitute a fork to receive, engage, and hold one end of the curtain-stick 2. The arms 11 and 12, which constitute the fork, may be elastic, and they are separated such distance apart that the curtain-stick can be forced into the fork and will be gripped and held thereby.

The folding and unfolding braces described and shown are pivoted respectively to the window-strips at opposite sides of the window-frame and the ends of the curtain-stick can be engaged with the forks at the outer ends of the sections 4, after which the jointed braces can be unfolded or extended until the shoulders of the butt-hinge joints strike one another, when the curtain will be held projected from the window-fran1e in an inclined position, thereby utilizing the curtain as an awning.

Inasmuch as both sections 3 and l of each jointed brace lie in alignment when unfolded or extended and the outer ends of the outer sections are turned at right angles thereto and forked to receive and hold the ends of the curtain-stick to maintain the curtain in an inclined position, the butt-hinge joints are advantageous and important in that the outer sections,when unfolded,are held against folding upwardly, and can only fold clownwardly, in consequence of which the weight of the outer sections and their tendency to turn downward serve to stretch the curtain and hold it taut or under tension.

When the curtain is to be utilized as an awning the lower sash is raised, the ends of the curtain-stick are engaged with the forks,

of the jointed braces, and the latter are unfolded or extended, so that the curtain is projected from the window under the lower edges of the two sashes, whereby an angle is formed in the curtain at the point where it bears against the lower edge of the sashes, from which point the curtain extends in an inclined plane.

In the drawings I have illustrated the braces as pivoted to the windowstrips at the inside of the windowsashes; but obviously the braces can be pivoted to the windowstrips or to any part of the window-frame at the outside of the sashes without in any manner altering the character of my invention.

The chief advantages of my invention reside in the simplicity in the construction of the braces, the construction of each brace of the two sections pivotally connected by a butt-hinge joint, the adaptability of the two sections of each brace unfolding and lying in alignment when unfolded, and the lateral turning of the outer brace-sections, so that the forked extremity of the outer section of one brace extends toward the forked extremity of the outer section of the other brace, thereby enabling the ends of the curtainstick to be forced into the forks and to be securely held thereby when the curtain is converted into an awning. hen the curtain is to be used for ordinary purposes, the curtain-stick can be readily disengaged from the forked ends of the jointed braces, and each of the latter can be folded and laid in a vertical position along a window-strip, so that it will lie out of the way and not interfere with the use of the curtain for ordinary purposes.

The braces can be made of comparatively thin metallic bars or rods, light in weight and highly ornamented, if desired, so that they will present a neat and attractive appearance.

By the employment of the improved braces it is unnecessar 7 to pull the curtains all the way down, and also unnecessary to close the inside blinds to exclude the sun, and, furthermore, when the curtain is converted into an awning the window is open, whereby the sun is excluded While the air is admitted.

The braces are simple in construction and can be applied to any window without any alteration whatever in the window-frame, and without any preparation of the windowframe further than inserting the wood-screws into the window-strips, as hereinbefore explained.

It will be observed that in myinvention the laterally-extending fork of each brace is susceptible of engaging one end of any ordinary curtain-stick without reference to the width of the stick, and that therefore no speciallyconstructed curtain-stick is required and no alteration of the ordinary curtain-stick is essential. This is very advantageous in that it enables my improved brace to be applied to windows having ordinary curtains without the necessity of in any manner altering the curtain-sticks of the ordinary curtains already in use.

In my construction the parts of each brace are jointed by a butt-hinge, as before stated, so that when extended, as shown, the brace will not collapse in an upward direction, although no sliding locking-sleeve is employed as heretofore.

It has been proposed to convert an ordinary window-curtain into an awning through the medium of arms pivoted to opposite sides of a window-frame and having hooks at their outer ends to engage eyes or rings provided 011 the window-curtain stick, and such therefore I do not claim.

It has also been proposed to convert a window-curtain into an awning through the medium of adjustable bars having sockets jointed to their outer ends in which the curtainstick is securely held, so that the barscan be detached from the window-frame and folded upon the curtain-stick. This construction is objectionable in that the curtain-stick carries the braces, and, furthermore, the jointed socketed sections of the braces cannot be made to extend in alignment with the main bodies of the braces as in my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A window attachment for converting an inside window-curtain into an. awning, consisting of a pair of folding and unfolding braces, each composed of two pivotally-connected sections which lie in alignment when unfolded or extended, one section of each brace having its outer end turned at right angles thereto and formed with a rigid fork to receive and hold the extremity of the windowcurtain stick and the other section having its inner end provided with means to pivot it to a window-frame, substantially as described.

2. A window attachment for converting an inside window-curtain into an awning, con- IIO sistin g of a pair of folding and unfolding braces, each composed of two similar sections pivotally connected by a butt-hinge joint and lying in alignment when unfolded. or extended, the outer sections of the braces having their outer ends turned at right angles thereto and formed integral with open forks to receive and hold the ends of the curtain-stick, and the inner sections having their inner ends provided with eyes to pivot them to a window- 10 frame, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 

